The Other Side
by writejason
Summary: Living in poverty, abandoned by his family, Jay has to scrape a life together...but what happens when this lonely kids life is changed forever? sort of an OT fic.. interlude up.
1. Prologue

The other side

by: writejason

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything owned by the Pokemon corporation. I do however own this story and the original characters inside.

_This is what life was for me. _I walked down the mostly empty streets of Cerulean with a blank face. My hands were shoved tightly into the pockets of my ripped-at-the-knees jeans. My shoes were worn down and were blessed with various adornments of tape and makeshift stitching. I ran a hand through my brown hair and let the curly locks blow into the wind. I didn't mind my appearance, today I was looking better then usual. After all I HAD actually eaten this morning. I was happy about that.

My name is Jay and I've got problems. I've been living alone since I was fifteen, I was now seventeen, and I had no real place of residence. The local Pokemon Centers usually put me up and let me crash on their benches but it was a humbling experience. Showing off my poverty to the locals was something that never ceased to turn my cheeks red. In a world that seemed so full of the richness of life...I lived the antithesis. I would wander from town to town trying to scrape up a life. I would do odd jobs for people—deliver packages, clean yards, and unload trucks.

I had no family really. I ran away from home at age fifteen. I had no siblings and my parents were not...your average parents. Life at my house was about as quiet in its solitude as I lived now. Where most kids plan their future by my age, I took my life day by day. That is to say...my biggest concern was something to eat and a place to sleep. This killed me. Every day I woke it took everything in me not to break down. Abandoned by my family even before I ran away, or they ran from me as I liked to think, I had dreams...goals...aspirations. I wanted to be a pokemon trainer. That is all I wanted to be...since the age of seven I could think of nothing else. So of course, what better way was there for my dad to make me unhappy? Outlaw me from pokemon citing them as a "bad influence, and a dream waiting to be broken".

My dad had problems. My mom wasn't much better. She suffered from the "I'll do anything to be loved" syndrome. This meant that she would back my father in any endeavor that he so wished to take up. Even if it meant making me miserable. She enjoyed it. And for that reason I had grown a shell...a shell that I held up every waking moment of my life up until today. I refused to let people into my life and I went as far as to push people away. I wasn't very fun to be around.

So imagine the feelings that went through my head the night my life changed...forever.

Authors Note: So yes, this is just a prologue...so don't worry about it being so short. Read and review..I'll keep updating!


	2. Chapter One: A Chance Encounter

The Other Side

by: writejason

Chapter One: A chance encounter

Walking down the street I found myself casually looking around my scenery. In truth it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and fairly cloudless, and it was nice and cool out. Honestly, it annoyed me. As I walked down the street I noticed families in their front yard...children laughing and growing up in front of their parents eyes. I did everything I could not to storm up. I was a jealous soul.

'A family must be such a beautiful thing,' I mused as I began to cross the bridge that would lead me to the wilder side of Cerulean, here all the trainers would train their pokemon. On days where work could not be found for me I liked to go and watch the battles. I would fantasize and my greedy eyes would take in every move. In my few years of watching these battles I had become something of an attraction around Cerulean. Sitting on the side of the field with the eight and nine year olds I would be ravaged with questions. I prided myself in the ability to answer them.

So in that vein I headed over to my usual spot. Finally getting across the bridge I made my way over to a grassy knoll where I would take a seat. I already saw a few younger kids starting to run over. Smiling to myself I waved, I loved these kids. Youthful optimism always brought a tear to my eye. These kids believed they could do whatever they wanted: become a pokemon master, the next Professor Oak, a great breeder...it's the things they didn't know that they should be worried about.

Shrugging off these depressing thoughts I neared the group and finally plodded myself onto the ground next to a few spry looking little boys.

"Hey Jay!" A youngster chirped at me. The boy was about 9 with curly brown hair hidden under a hat. His infectious smile was only broken by his missing front tooth. "You stayin' with us to watch the battles today?"

I quirked a grin at the kid, "What else could I possible do Robby?" I ruffled his hair with my hand and grinned, "Do you know who the first battle is?"

Robby tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Well they are both new to Cerulean but I think the boy trains fighting types...and the girl I don't know." He shrugged and broke his deep train of thought.

'New people,' I mused. This was interesting...I loved meeting new trainers. "Hmm, sounds good."

Turning from the child and focusing down the hill towards the battling area I watched as the two made their way over. Immediately I knew these were no novice trainers come bumbling down from Pewter. As they strode confidently onto the field I noticed they were both garbed in black dress pants and a black dress shirt. The man was hidden under a beanie hat that shrouded his eyes. At his hip was strapped five pokeballs.

The woman however exuded arrogance and confidence. She had on a white skirt with a blue button up dress shirt. She wore a black beret that covered up her purple shoulder length hair. Her eyes were a deep silver and they seemed to take in the world. She had five pokeballs at her side. I watched the two trainers as they grabbed a pokeball from their hip and lazily tossed them into the arena.

From the mans pokeball a Machop materialized. And across the way the woman released a Sandshrew. The two trainers nodded towards each other in an unspoken agreement to begin the battle.

From my side I heard a flurry of 'Whoa' and 'Cool'. Apparently the kids were not that familiar with the Machop pokemon.

"Robby, that is a Sandshrew over there...it's a ground type and uses its ability to dig and attack from underneath. And of course, you know a little about Machop." I smiled to the children as they obviously began to store the information away. That's what I loved about these kids. They were so ravenous just to learn.

Back on the field I heard the tall well dressed man mutter in a strong voice, "Machop use karate chop now!"

The Machop began sprinting forward at his enemy the Sandshrew. Hearing the attack the woman decided to act quickly, "Sandshrew use sand attack!"

The Sandshrew stood its ground as if it didn't hear its order...and the woman began to sweat. The Machop was feet away from the Sandshrew when it turned on its heels and shot up a spray of sand in the eyes of the fighting type pokemon. Grinning the woman nodded and the Sandshrew began its onslaught with a set of fury swipes. Its strong dirt moving claws began to slash back and forth across the proud Machop...leaving red marks across its chest and face.

The man grimaced and sneered slightly. His solid composure broke slightly as he winced at his pokemons pain. "Machop get your footing and launch a lower kick at that rodent!"

Machop nodded slightly and broke the array of fury swipes by blocking one with its forearm. Immediately rolling backwards it leaped to its feet and then dashed forwards. The Sandshrew didn't have time to think as a muscular leg met its midsection. A loud cry was heard as the rodent flew into the air and then hit the ground even harder.

I grimaced in my seat as I heard the sickening thud. "That's not good..." I muttered.

"Is the Sandshrew ok?" One of the other kids grabbed my shoulder and looked at me.

I glanced at the child and shrugged my shoulders, "I'm not sure, kid, but I think this battle should be over for now.."

On the field I glanced at the woman who trained the Sandshrew, she looked mollified. Slowly she reached for her pokeball and pointed it towards the Sandshrew. A red light appeared and the pokemon turned to energy and disappeared in a flash.

The woman glanced at the man and shook her head. She turned away and walked off towards town. From her facial reaction something was wrong with the Sandshrew.

I stood up and wiped off the grass from my jeans and cracked my back. Stretching my arms above my head I began to walk towards the trainer of the Machop. As I neared him I saw his eyes dart to me and then he began to trudge off. As he was closer in my view I could tell he was a big man. About 6'3 200 pounds of solid muscle. Underneath his cap you could tell he was bald. From the side I could see a tattoo resembling a boomerang, but sharper, slightly protruding down the back of his neck.

"Hey sir," I called and began to jog over "You might want to go check up on that lady, her pokemon looked seriously hurt!"

The man stopped in his tracks and I saw his shoulders slump slightly. As I neared his back he slowly began to turn around.

"That's just what I think anyways, she'd probably appreciate it."

He faced me completely now. His face was cleanly shaved and his eyes were set in deep sockets encircled by black rings of sleeplessness. His gray eyes bore into me.

"You have some kind of guts kid," he growled. His voice was gravely and his expression was monotone. "You don't even know who I am."

Offended I stood straight, all of my 5'9 140 pounds, and rolled my shoulders. "And why should I care who you are?"

He rolled his right shoulder and I saw him crack his knuckles. He sneered showing off a mouth full of pearly white teeth. "I don't want breaking a kid on my list of things to do today, so you better walk off. I'm busy." He turned to walk off but my quick mouth couldn't stay closed.

"All that muscle, all that bravado, and you're scared of owning up to your own mistakes," I almost spat at the mans feet but I held it in. Robby had run up to me and stood with his arms folded at my legs. I felt him nod as if to emphasize what I said.

The man stepped closer to me and I felt his muscular chest against mine. Looking down on me I could feel his hot breath on my face. "Last chance kid, you better walk away."

Today I realized I did not care anymore. If the man would hurt me then I would not stop him. Seeing trainers like him made me sick. They took for granted and mistreated what I had longed to do since I had the ability to say 'pokemon'.

"People like you don't deserve Pokemon." My eyes narrowed to slits and I crossed my arms.

Releasing almost a carnal growl I saw him raise his fist and then my world dimmed.


	3. Chapter 2: A turn in the road

The Other Side

by: writejason

Chapter Two: The evee of better things.

When I came to I immediately yelped in pain. My hand shot to my jaw and immediately began to rub it, as if to ease the pain. It didn't help. As my eyes opened I noticed that my surroundings were blurred, I was rocked. As I came completely to, I began to take in my surroundings.

The first thing I noticed was the sky was beginning to redden and the temperature was slightly cooler. I groaned and leaned onto one elbow in the grass. Looking at my side I saw that Robby had fallen asleep. Smiling slightly at my little friends fierce loyalty I pulled myself to my feet. With wobbly legs I realized I had to have been out for at least half an hour.

I walked over to Robby and prodded him slightly to try and wake him. He groaned lightly and his little body refused to let move. I let a small from show across my face and i decided I would take him home. Scooping his little body into my arms I began the trek home.

Along the way I noticed a lot more people were out and about, especially near the trainers area. There were Pidgey flying in the sky and the sound of Zubats beginning to hunt was in the air. The sky was clear and the air was cool. I couldn't help but smile, it was so beautiful out.

I soon forgot Robby was in my arms until I arrived back into the town area. I saw Robby's house and walked over. Knocking on the door I tapped my foot lightly, this would be awkward. Seconds later the door opened and who I assumed was his mother walked out.

Her pinched nose looked down on me, "And who are you and what are you doing with Robby?"

I quirked an eyebrow and handed the small child over, "He fell asleep over at the park and I thought he should be brought home...sorry to disturb you."

She shook her head slightly and took Robby, "Well thank you." Her eyes rolled over my body and I felt her judging me.

A few seconds of silence signaled that I should be on my way and I stiffly turned and began to walk away. Behind me I could here her mutter something about 'staying away from the local riff raff'. I grimaced and walked on with a little more anger in my steps.

I shoved my hands tightly in my pockets and walked in no general direction. Tonight hadn't gone how I had planned it. But that was the story of my life. A sigh. I realized I was heading towards the woods and shrugged, probably won't be many people there.

'Let me get away from this,' my shoulders slumped and I walked on.

It was now nearing complete darkness. If it weren't for the moon above me and the feeling of infinity that surrounded it, I would have been lost. In so many ways more then you know. My eyes looked around nonchalantly. The trees were all a healthy green and there was a buzz in the air that you could only find in the woods. I loved this. The feeling of solitude without the feeling of being alone. It was beautiful. It summed up the positive part of my life.

In this vein I was very much lost in my thoughts. So I was 'local riff-raff'...so I had been punched out by some strange man...so maybe I wasn't having a great day. Tomorrow would be better.

And in the way that only an elegant and graceful man as myself could...I tripped on a tree branch. Now deeply into the forest, I tripped, and fell into the grass on the side of the path. Resting momentarily I laid my head face down in the grass and sighed again. "Why am I so smooth Jay, why?" I questioned myself sarcastically.

I stayed there a moment and then slowly began to look up. I was about level with the bottom of the trees and bushes that lined sides of the path. Pressing my lips together I scanned the line, trainers always dropped money here...

I froze. At the stem of a particularly heavy bush lay a pokeball. Small red, white, and elegant...my fingers twitched. I reached deeply and grabbed onto the pokeball and quickly put it in my pocket. I got up, looked around, and continued my walk.

Immediately my mind was racing and my hand was shaking slightly. In my pocket I may have a pokemon. The thought made me shiver until I realized that I _had_ to return it to its proper trainer. It would be stealing otherwise. I was not a bad person, or at least I swore to myself every night.

A frown graced my lips and I continued my walk in silence. The buzz of the sound of the forest returned and my world was calm again. Turning a corner in the path I heard rustling ahead, assuming it was a pokemon, I slowed down. I didn't want to scare it.

Much to my surprise, and chagrin, around the corner stood my big friend from earlier. I sunk slowly into the bushes at the side and watched him.

He seemed agitated and was throwing his arms in the air, frustrated. I could hear him cursing under his breath and my eyebrow raised. He dropped a pokeball onto the ground and a Houndour appeared. He crouched down and whispered something in its ear, pointed in the opposite direction of me, and it sprinted off.

Every breath from my mouth seemed to come out in a ragged gasp. My hands were shaking and I was afraid. This man genuinely scared me. I feared for my life around him. Nobody ever questioned when a homeless person went missing...nobody ever cared.

I started to turn and sneak off when I heard the crunching of leaves and twigs from behind me. I whipped around silently and watched my big friend. He looked towards the bushes and I could see his back tighten and straighten. He stood almost at attention and his hands were shaking.

With my breath pent up I watched as a short woman appeared from the foliage. In an almost comical fashion the muscular trainer fell to his knees into a faux bow and whispered, "My lady."

The woman was short, tiny in fact, and wore the wrinkles of at least seventy years. Her face was

overshadowed by heavy purple eyeshadow and cold gray eyes. Her hair was silver-white and curled tightly. She sported white dress pants and a black dress shirt. She gave off a menacing vibe.

"Taur, what has gone wrong?" Her face contorted into a sneer and her little knuckles clenched.

"My lady...it's just..." his voice was wavering. "It's just...the project has...gone missing."

Immediately she roared, "Missing? You've lost it! Are you sure it's not clipped to your pokebelt?" Her short stubby legs kicked Tauron in the shoulder and he fell on his back.

"My lady...it's...not there. I've got Houndour out searching for it, I'm sure we will find the pokemon." He was almost pleading now, pleading to be spared.

Sweat ran down my forehead and into my eyes. The salty taste made me squeeze my lids shut and my hand absentmindedly went to my pocket. The pokeball was in my hands. I felt safe.

A/N: So this was just a shorter chapter to sort of move the plot along. Get some names down..and hopefully give you guys an idea of where this story is going. Enjoy!


	4. Interlude

The Other Side

by: writejason

Interlude

The old crone looked down her long nose at Taur. Her wrinkly hands balled into fists and her knuckles cracked. Her eyes squeezed into slits and venom was spread over the bigger man. Her voice wheezed out, old, but strong.

"You make sure it is found, Taur, or you _will_ pay."

Taur, visibly shaking, nodded vigorously. "Yes, my lady, it will be found."

She sneered and turned on her heel and slowly disappeared. The man visibly relaxed and his shoulders slumped. He set his forehead to the grass and muttered what appeared to be mumbled prayers. And threats. A few moments he rose to his feet and glanced around.

His movement brought me back to my body and I became aware of my surroundings. I slowly eased myself away from my vantage point and when I felt I had gotten far enough away, I turned on my heel and sprinted off.

Feeling infinitely more exhilarated that I had in recent times, my sprint became a blur. My breath came out in gasps as I felt the wind move through me. I broke the barrier between nature and man and my footsteps echoed throughout the forest, where the Pidgeys chatter was previously the only inhabitant.

I exploded into a clearing and my sprint became slowed. I stopped and felt the grass crunch under my shoes. Looking around I saw rays of the reddening horizon make peace and fight through the foliage. A tree stump invited my seating, and I obliged.

Immediately my hand shot to my pocket where the minimized pokeball was resting. I took it out and let sit in the middle of my palm. The sun shone off of it and my breath turned shallow, though not from fatigue.

Finally in my hands was the ability. In my hands was a future. In my hands was _my_ future. Suddenly a nervous grin broke across my face and I threw the pokeball into the air.


End file.
